Peter Gammeltoft
- Department of International Economics and Management

Secretary Susanne Faurholt - sfa.int@cbs.dk

Main Category of the Course

Globalization, International Business, markets and studies

Innovation and entrepreneurship

Taught under Open University-Taught under open university.

Last updated on 29 maj 2012

Learning Objectives

Objectives:

At the end of the course the student should:

Be able to understand, analyze and assess the relationships between science, technology and innovation and how they impact on competitiveness in emerging economies

Be able to critically assess the technological performance or potential of a firm, a sector, or a country in an emerging economy

Know, understand, and be able to apply concepts, theories, models and frameworks in the intersection between international business, innovation and technological change

Be able to discuss, assess and combine these concepts, theories, models and frameworks

Be able to identify and select in specific cases of emerging economies problems related to ST&I and subject them to analysis and problem solving on the basis of theories and methods

Be able to assess and discuss the validity, reliability and scope of generalization for conclusions drawn on the basis of an analysis

Prerequisite

There are no formal prerequisites. Any motivated student with a background in (business) economics should be able to handle and benefit from this course.

Examination

Individual 72-hour take-home exam

Individual 72-hour take-home exam:

Assessment

Home Assignment

Marking Scale

7-step scale

Censorship

No censorship

Exam Period

Winter Term

Aids

Open Book, Written and Electronic Aid is permitted

Duration

72 Hours

Examination

Max. 15 pages

Course Content

Innovation, and its underpinnings in science and technology, is crucial for the competitiveness of firms and national economies. In emerging economies innovation is important for economic transformation and for catching up with the global technology frontier. The knowledge infrastructure of an emerging economy affects absorptive capacities of firms and, thus, their ability to tap into the global pool of technology and professional talent or develop new solutions. It also affects the investment decisions of multinational firms, the quality and depth of their subsidiaries, and the organization of global production networks. Learning about the relationships between science, technology and innovation helps business students understand the role of emerging markets in the global knowledge economy.

Most discussion of the role of science, technology, and innovation (ST&I) relates to the experiences of advanced high-income countries. The aim of this course is to extend this perspective to include emerging economies, including successful non-western economies such as Japan and Korea, which rapidly narrowed the technological gap with innovative institutional arrangements. This takes account of the increasingly important role of emerging economies not just in world production and trade, but also in select technological activities. Students will familiarise themselves with the technological trajectories of countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. The course will equip them with the tools to critically assess the technological performance or potential of a firm, a sector, or a country in an emerging economy.

The course first defines key terminology and then discusses suitable conceptual frameworks within which to analyse the relationship between science, technology, and innovation. Although some of the theory applies to high-income countries as well, the focus will be on the special circumstances of emerging economies. We then look at country examples that are interesting either because of their successes or their failures and draw out lessons from up-close case studies of individual firms and select sectors. At the end of the course this will allow us to evaluate ST&I both as they play out in different emerging economies and in terms of the effects this has on knowledge production in the global economy.

The course’s development of personal competences: The course facilitates students’ further development of analytical, theoretical, presentational and teamwork skills.

Teaching Methods

The course will be based on a mix of cases, lectures, discussions, group work in class as well as on student presentations. The course literature is challenging and students are encouraged to form reading groups.